


Mutual Understanding

by Silveryfeather



Series: Mutual Expressions [1]
Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: Alien Culture, F/M, Flirting, Getting to Know Each Other, Marco being Marco and Flirting with Aliens, Rare Pairings, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 07:06:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17824172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silveryfeather/pseuds/Silveryfeather
Summary: Estrid is visited by Marco the day after the incident and gets to learn a bit about him and humans.





	Mutual Understanding

The light sound of ripping grass was all Estrid found comfort in while awaiting the moment when they would leave this planet. Using the back part of her hoof, she pushes the torn grass towards the opening in the middle of her hoof. After a few moments, she could already feel the grass moving up her leg to the first pouch.  
  
A light rustling above her head caught her attention and she snaps a stalk upwards towards the trees above her. She spied a brown and white Earth avian just a mere ten feet above her head on a branch. She tips her stalk at it before looking around with the other to make sure there was no one else around. She was relieved to find that there wasn’t another bird.  
  
<Sup.>  
  
This odd word made her translator fail for a moment. She shakes an ear in wonder, trying to find the right thing to say in reply. She settled on a question finally after thirty seconds.  
  
<What does… sup mean?> She asked hesitantly.  
  
<It’s just another way to say hello.> The obvious human morpher told her.

<Ah…> She paused then pawed at the ground, turning up more grass under her hoof nervously. What could this ‘animorph’ possibly want with her?  
  
<You… alright?>  
  
She started at this question, blinking her eyes several times in embarrassment. Why would they care?   
  
<Not so much, but I believe I can manage.> She answered truthfully. <After all what had happened I am still alive are I not?>  
  
The human morpher cocked it’s avian head at her. <Yeah I guess but I would think that you would’ve been more upset.>  
  
<Upset? Over what? I had rectified my mistakes.> She lets out a disbelieving snort. 

<Yeah but Ax got pretty ticked at you and you killed your own teacher. I would say that’s a good reason to be upset.> She could feel a wave of amusement seep from him.  
  
<I am not upset.> She replied a bit more firmly now.  
  
<Alright then.>  
  
<Who are you anyway?> Estrid asked, angling her ears back in annoyance. <What do you want of me?>  
  
There was a small fluttering of wings as the small avian came to rest on a log in near by her. He folds his wings before settling back down.  
  
<Checking up on you to be honest.> Was his simple reply.  
  
<Why though?> Estrid promptly asked.

<Because of the fact that you’re a lonely girl in the middle of a forest eating grass with her feet.> He said just as quick.  
  
<I am not lonely.> Estrid shot back.  
  
<Yeah but you sure look like it though.> He said amused.  
  
<Why are you so worried about me?>  
  
<To be honest I just wanted to pick up alien chicks in the middle of nowhere.> She could feel his delight at his own words.  
  
The translator took a moment but she got the general gist of what he was saying. From what she understood he was either trying to flirt with her or make her his mate? That was certainly unnerving. Humans were odd but certainly they couldn’t be _that_ odd.

<I do not wish to be your mate. Why would you ask that of me?> She stomps a front hoof on the ground before tearing up another hoofful of grass.  
  
<It was a joke.> The animorph replied, laughing with her own mind. She could feel the jumpy waves of thought energy burst through her mind as he continued to laugh.  
  
<A joke? What is that?> She was on the defensive now. What was the human up to now?  
  
<It’s just to make you laugh. It’s not supposed to be taken seriously.> The human morpher continued to laugh making Estrid lower her ears.  
  
<That is idiotic, why would that make me laugh?> Estrid asked, starting to get more confused than upset.   
  
<Yeah I figure it wouldn’t, but it couldn’t hurt to try.> The morpher replied, amused still.  
  
Estrid dug her hoof into the grass a few times, tearing up more into her hollow leg. She twitched an ear at him before looking around again with her stalks. Why was he here? What did he want.  
  
<You had not answered me the first question, human, tell me your name.> Estrid demanded.  
  
<Marco.> They replied simply.  
  
<Well Marco, I am flattered you had come to visit but I see no reason for you to do so. What are you getting out of this?> Estrid asked, ears angling back.  
  
The morpher stayed uncomfortably silent for a minute then ruffled his feathers. <To be honest, you’re kind of cute for ya know… an alien.>  
  
Once again she was off put by his flirting. Why would another species be interested in a completely different one. She had heard of some aliens being xenophiles but she never had met such a species. Could humans really be one of those?  
  
<I do not quite understand how a female of another species would be attractive to you.>    
  
<Yeah, I don’t know myself. I just think you’re cute.> Estrid was actually finding his laugh to be pleasant now. That thought was off putting for her.

Estrid suddenly felt herself deflate as a thought passes her mind, reminding her of how she found Aximili pleasant as well. She had not even heard him laugh before, which was something that saddened her. Perhaps it was because he only found her looks to be pleasant, not her personality. He was just as shallow as she was it would seem…

But yet here was an alien, a human of all creatures, finding her to be attractive as well. More than likely physical attraction. It was upsetting to her that her looks was the only thing drawing males to her. Was she not likable besides her own physical appearance? Perhaps... perhaps that was the reason.  
  
<Okay now I can tell you’re upset about something.>  
  
Estrid blinked her eyes several times in embarrassment before focusing her main eyes on Marco. How could this alien read her expressions?  
  
<You can?>  
  
<Yeah, do you mind if I demorph real fast?>

Estrid thought it over for a moment then agreed quietly. Marco began demorphing infront of her eyes going from bird to human. Though the process was as unpleasant as it normally was if was not an estreen as she was. But once he had finished she was looking at a tan skinned, young male in skin tight ‘clothing’.  
  
He was smiling at her.  
  
“So what’s up?” He plopped back down onto the log, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
<What is up?> Estrid looked up towards the sky for a moment then back at him, confused. <What _is_ up?>  
  
“I… I keep forgetting you guys take everything literally sometimes.” Marco laughed, so much more differently from his morph laugh. Estrid was quite thrown off by it. “No, I’m just asking what’s gotcha upset.”  
  
<Ah… Well…> Perhaps it might be best to be truthful this time around. There might be _some_ benefits to conversing with this human truthfully, even if she hated it. <Do you like me only for my looks?>  
  
“Uh… I don’t know much about you personally, so yeah.” Marco answered, tipping his head to the side.

<Ah, same as Aximili as well. I’d rather it not be the case to be honest, alien or andalite.> Estrid leaned back onto her back legs, ears angling back. She curled her tail on the ground as she breathed out heavily through her nose.  
  
“I would like to know you better though.”  
  
Estrid eyes started widening in amazement. <Excuse me?>  
  
Marco rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from her. “Yeah, I think you might be a pretty cool girl if I got to know you.”  
  
‘Cool girl’? Is being a lower body temperature a good thing for a human? What does that even have to do with learning about her personality?  
  
<Is that good?> Estrid asked, curious.  
  
“What? Knowing you? Yeah, it would be great.” Marco bared his teeth at her in an unsettling manner.  
  
<Ah… I am glad to hear that.> Estrid found herself becoming more and more curious of this human. This was the first time that someone had outwardly started flirting with her. Aximili had done it so subtly that she could’ve missed his cues if she wasn’t interested in him as well.  
  
“We can start now. Like, where do you come from?” Marco rested his elbows on his knees and then his chin in his hands.  
  
Estrid stared at him for a moment before accepting he was serious. <Andal of the 9975-3R sector. More specifically the central plains.>  
  
“Alright cool, so your guy’s planet is just called ‘Andal’? Didn’t know that.”  
  
<Aximili did not tell you?> Estrid was a bit surprised that they didn’t know this simple bit of information.

“Never thought to ask I guess.” Marco shrugged.  
  
<I understand… May I ask you something?>  
  
“Sure.”  
  
<You look quite a bit smaller than the other humans. Why is that? Did you have a stunt in your growth?> Estrid tipped a stalk curiously at him. He was only at her shoulder, but she certainly was not full size either.  
  
“Naw, I’m just a year younger than most of them. I kind of skipped a grade when I was in elementary school.” Marco laughed once again.  
  
<Skipped a grade? You are that intelligent?> Estrid was a bit stunned. She herself had done so as well. But belonging to a perfectionist family tended to make you go above what was expected of you.  
  
“I guess? Apparently I was reading at a fifth grade level in the first grade. But Mom wanted to make sure that I knew the alphabet before I actually went to school.” Marco explained, rubbing his chin for a moment. “I guess that might’ve helped.”  
  
<Your mother is a rather smart female then. My mother did the same for me as well. I knew advanced biology and physics before I reached my first year.> Estrid couldn’t help but feel a bit stunned that she had met such an intelligent young human. He might have not been as intelligent as she was but he certainly was for his own kind.  
  
“Yeah… my mom was pretty smart woman.” Marco’s voice became noticeably muted for a few seconds but then he perks up again. “So I take it you’re younger than Ax then?”  
  
<More than likely, yes. But I cared not to ask considering we are of the same maturity.> Estrid found herself relaxing even further now.  
  
“Alright, I guess that makes sense.”

Estrid found time stretching long as the two of them continued to chat. She had learned that his own mother had actually gone missing quite a while ago and his father had been the one raising him. She also learned that him and their leader ‘Jake’ had been friends since they were quite young as well. There were also bits and pieces of information she had learned about human culture as well. She was starting to see the similarities between humans and andalites in a way. Was this why Aximili liked humans?  
  
Estrid, in return, told him about her own family. She told him about how her mother had studied micro-biology before becoming an estreen and her brother was a top exhibition tail-fighter. She told him about her father who had become a vecol for a few years of his life due to war but was healed by the morphing technology. She told him of her college years, how she met her mentor, and how she came to here. 

“So you never dated I take it.” Marco asked, reclining back on the log he had been sitting on for so long. Estrid wasn’t too surprised by the question considering how this conversation had all started.

<Yes, I had not been courted. Aximili had been the closest to the proper courting I have had.> Estrid answered truthfully. <I am sure you have had at least one yourself though.>  
  
“Naw, never had a girlfriend either. Kinda been a playboy really. High standards and all.” Marco smirked at her.  
  
<Play… boy?> Estrid was uncertain of this term.  
  
“It just means that I like flirting with a lot of girls.”  
  
<Ah! So you’re a _vulfur_ .> Estrid was a bit happy she was able to make the connection. Though now knowing that he could possibly be an unfaithful male did curb her excitement.  
  
“I’ve got a feeling that’s not a good thing to be called.” Marco sat up.  
  
<It is considered as such. Males labled as one tend to be shunned. _Vulfurs_ are considered very unfaithful to their mates.> Estrid scuffed a hoof against the ground.  
  
“Oh geez…” Marco swung around until he faced her on the log. “Yeah, I’m not the unfaithful type really. I just haven’t found a girl that was my type.”  
  
<Your type? That is…?> Estrid decided to prod him a bit now.  
  
“A smart girl, who’s cute and funny.” Marco replied quickly.  
  
She couldn’t help but wonder if she would fit that. But then she quickly shoved that thought away. The last thing she needed was to want to win the affections of an _alien._ She was already thought lowly of by Aximili, she didn’t need to be thought of a heretic as well. No, she needed to keep that to herself.  
  
<I do hope you find one then.> Estrid stiffly replied.  
  
“I think I did.” He was pointing a finger at her, smirking once again.  
  
Estrid felt her ears starting to burn again as she jerks up straight. <We are not of the same species.>  
  
“It matters?”  
  
<Very much so.>  
  
“That’s too bad really, you’re cute.” Marco stretched out for a moment then cracked his back which made Estrid flinch in response. “But hey, can’t fault a guy for trying.”  
  
<You certainly are a brave one.> Estrid agreed. <But you are looking in the wrong places.>  
  
Marco looked up at the sky prompting Estrid to look up as well. It was starting to turn dark, which startled Estrid. How could she have lost track of time?  
  
“I think it’s about time I head home. It’s KFC night at home. Don’t want to miss it.” Marco hops off the log, the shape feathers already spreading across his body.  
  
<KFC?> Estrid echoed, wondering once again that was.  
  
“Yeah,” Estrid flinched at the sound of his ankles extending. “It’s pretty good, you should try it.”  
  
Estrid felt herself perk up a bit more now. So it was food?  
  
“I can see it on your face. You want to try it huh?” Was the last thing he said before his mouth started to harden then stretch out into a beak.  
  
<I believe I very much want to.> Estrid eagerly shifted her hooves. That sounded so much better than standing out here eating grass. Marco stayed silent for a few moments until the thought speech centers of the morphing technology kicked in, allowing him to speak.  
  
<You can come if you’d like.> Marco offered.  
  
Estrid almost said yes but she had a feeling there was more to this offer. <This is not you courting me correct?>  
  
Marco’s human eyes lit up in surprise but he quickly shook his shrinking head. <Naw, just think of it as bringing a new _friend_ home.>  
  
Now Estrid couldn’t disagree with that one. She could become friends with an alien with a little bit of disapproval with others of her species. Yes, she could be ‘friends’ with this human if she so wished to.  
  
So she started morphing herself.  
  
<Very well, I shall join you then.>  
  
She could’ve sworn she could see him smiling with his eyes. Though maybe she was just hoping he was but by this time his eyes had become the expressionless ones of an Earth avian.  
  
<Great.>  
  
The two took off into the sky as soon as both had become fully morphed. Marco talked the whole way to his home but it was pleasant for Estrid. She enjoyed listening to him speak surprisingly enough.  
  
Oh and by the way, she might actually like KFC better than M&Ms.  



End file.
